Is this the same frontal published a few month ago by the same authors in this
paper: http://www.app.pan.pl/archive/published/app57/app20110043.pdf ?
If so they rapidly changed their mind since they stated not to name a new taxon
based upon the since frontal in the APP paper.
Michael
-------- Original-Nachricht --------
> Datum: Sun, 28 Oct 2012 08:54:54 -0700
> Von: Ben Creisler <bcreisler@gmail.com>
> An: dinosaur@usc.edu
> Betreff: Sauroniops, new thick-skulled carcharodontosaurid theropod from
> Upper Cretaceous of Morocco
> From: Ben Creisler
> bcreisler@gmail.com
>
>
> A new online paper:
>
>
> Andrea Cau, Fabio M. Dalla Vecchia & Matteo Fabbri
> A thick-skulled theropod (Dinosauria, Saurischia) from the Upper
> Cretaceous of Morocco with implications for carcharodontosaurid
> cranial evolution.
> Cretaceous Research (advance online publication)
> http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cretres.2012.09.002
> http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195667112001395
>
>
>
> In this study, we erect Sauroniops pachytholus gen. et sp. nov., a
> large-bodied theropod dinosaur from the Cenomanian (Upper Cretaceous)
> of Morocco, on the basis of an almost complete frontal showing a
> unique combination of features including a naso–frontal suture
> extended along 40% of the frontal length, a thick dome in the
> anterolateral corner of the dorsal surface, a trapezoidal prefrontal
> facet that is restricted to the anterodorsal margin of the lateral
> surface of the frontal with no participation in the orbital roof and
> separated from the lacrimal facet by a narrow vertical lamina, a
> hypertrophied ‘D-shaped’ lacrimal facet that is four times the
> anterior depth of the postorbital facet, and a raised posteromedial
> margin of the dorsal surface describing a saddle with the
> anterolateral dome and confluent with a series of anteromedial
> rugosities. Phylogenetic analysis found robust support for placing
> Sauroniops among the basal carcharodontosaurids and related to
> Eocarcharia, showed that some of the unusual features of the new
> theropod were convergently acquired by abelisaurids, and revealed a
> mosaic pattern in the evolution of the carcharodontosaurid skull
> table. The frontals of Sauroniops and Carcharodontosaurus, both from
> the ‘Kem Kem compound assemblage’ of Morocco, show comparable size but
> differ in the extent of the naso–frontal articulation, the shape and
> disposition of the prefrontal and lacrimal articulations, the
> development of dorsal ornamentation and the morphology of the
> supratemporal fossa. Among carcharodontosaurids, the skull table
> developed unique configurations among each lineage and appears
> diagnostic at the species-level. The dome-like frontal in Sauroniops
> may indicate head-butting behaviour in this taxon or evolved for
> visual display.
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> Highlights
>
>
> ► A new giant theropod dinosaur from the Cretaceous of Morocco is
> erected. ► It is referred to Carcharodontosauridae based on skull roof
> synapomorphies. ► This theropod shows a frontal dome and ornamentation
> convergent with abelisaurids. ► Homoplasy and taxonomic values of
> carcharodontosaurid skull tables are discussed.